Legend of Marie
by thatfrenchgirl
Summary: In the future of Pokemon, long have things changed among trainers all over the world. Those trainers leave later in life than at age ten, and Marie is especially old starting out. At twenty she sets off on her pkmn journey aspiring to be just like Red.
1. Chapter 1: Ambition

_EARTH IS QUITE PEACEFUL. There is no war among the people, and all nations are at peace. The economy is very stable and it has been this way for as long as I know. In the schools children are taught about nature; things like the landscapes, geology, geography. There were some history classes and some math. Physical education and home economics were also big. Then there was the main topic of study: the animals. See, in our peaceful world the animals are as intelligent as us. These animals are called Pocket Monsters._

_PROLOGUE_

_WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, CHILDREN LEAVING HOME AT THE AGE OF TEN WAS CRAZY… A law has long since passed that those who want pursue the sporty life of a trainer must be at least sixteen before leaving home. Myself on the other hand... When I turned sixteen I decided to stay home and work. I did this for four years until I had a savings account big enough to buy a car; though that wasn't my goal. I had originally planned on leaving along with my peers, to be a trainer. I even had a Pokémon unlike most kids my age._

_I stared out the window and pondered these things because I was leaving tomorrow on my journey at twenty years old. I sighed out loud just as a figure flew by the window at such a speed it would have startled anyone else. The flaying figure was my Pidgeot. I had been watching him fly around until he came to a landing spot near the window. His dark brown eyes peered into the window, searching for my blue eyes, he cooed happily when he spotted my face in the large window. The sun glared against it from the outside, making him squint. I on the other hand could see just fine. My mother had our windows tinted a long time ago because of how much sunlight we got._

_Our house was built by my dad. Rest his soul. He died when I was eight. I found my Pidgeot soon after that. I named him after my dad. Flank._

"_Marie?" a voice called from behind me, pulling me from my thoughts and my Pigeot. I turned around to see my mother looking at me from across the living room, standing in the wide kitchen doorway. "I have something for you, come into the kitchen." She smiled her warm smile, which seemed only to light up her dark red hair. She had cut it all off recently, and it now just barely touched her shoulders. I was lucky enough to inherit her red hair but it wasn't dark; thanks to my father, who was blonde, my hair was very light red. I sat up from the window seat, and slid off the light green cushions. Our living room was a modest size, enough for one large couch, two large bookshelves that framed a TV stand, and a small table that sat between the couch and TV. I walked to the right behind the couch and slid my right hand against the white wall leading to the kitchen doorway._

_I stopped and admired at the sharpie marks on the doorway frame; from the time I could stand to my 20__th__ birthday, my height has been measured. Twenty little marks from my toes to head told whoever looked here how much I grew each year. I would miss this doorway, and my window seat. I glanced back at the window, Flank was looking back in._

_My mom pulled my attention back to the kitchen with her warm voice. "I had originally wanted to give this to you when you turned 16, but after your decision… I made a decision of my own. I thought it best if I waited for this moment to give it to you." She had very curious now. I tried reading at her face, maybe I could guess what the gift was, but her features didn't betray her. She simply smiled. I noticed she wore the same kind clothes as she always does. She never wore anything other than plain t-shirts and overalls. When I looked over her outfit and also noticed her dirty bare feet, she decided not to wear shoes today; I sort of inherited that from her too. I smiled now, getting distracted but not enough for me to not scan the room for the present._

_My eyes landed on a small box sitting on the counter where my mom stood near. She gestured to the box and I hurried to get to and into it. It had pink and yellow wrapping paper, which matched the colors on our kitchen wall, the north and south wall painted light pink and the west and east wall painted dull yellow. After carefully tearing the wrapping paper I was able to pull the top off. Inside the box was a ball. It was red and white and very small. My mom beamed with pride and I smiled. I picked it up and examined the tiny thing in my hand. I pressed a small white button on the ball and thanks to our fantastic technology the ball grew to fit perfectly in my hand; full and hard like an apple. Beautiful lettering engraved on the top of the ball wrote out "Pride, Strength and Persistence." This was our family motto. This ball was my first pokéball. I also noted another engraving much smaller than the motto's writing was the name "Flank." I laughed out loud and rushed my mom with a huge hug._

"_Mom, this means the world to me!" I said happily._

"_Think he will mind being stuck in there? That ball makes your bond permanent." My mom gasped out under my tight hug. I had grown so much taller than her over the last few years; she used to seem so big._

"_I doubt he will mind… I'm really doing this, aren't I?" She smiled a small smile, sad but proud, and she me let so I could show my Pidgeot his pokéball._

Chapter One.

**Two Weeks Later…**

Thunder bit through the air with such a heavy sound it almost felt like an earthquake in my chest. A small grey object flew through the air, shooting sparks of static electricity out. Someone across from me was yelling out commands I could barely understand, my ears rung with pain. I yelled back out commands of my own, Flank flew right above my head chasing a small but steadily growing twister. It has just started out as a small dust buster but within seconds it grew to the size of a car. It sucked in the small electric grey object and spun it around more times than I could count, or see for that matter. The twister brought up so much dust, dirt and leaves I couldn't keep my eyes open. I also figured my jeans and white t-shirt became covered in the dust and dirt. I didn't care about my shoes though; my black converse always looked dirty.

I did manage to see the blinding flash of lightning, my head spun. Then, just as fast as it all started, it stopped, the dust began to settle. Two distorted figures now hung in the dusty air, I couldn't distinguish them apart and my eye rubbing didn't help my vision. I realized, though, the battle was over. The dust slowly began to fall, and as it fell so did the small grey object, leaving my Pidgeot flying in the air. His feathers were burned and singed from thunder bolt and thunder attacks; he looked exhausted. The figure across from me ran over to the grey object.

"Magnemite!" He knelt down and scooped up the fainted Pokémon, the damage on magnemite was oddly much less than Flank's. Thunder was a strong move, but luckily my Pidgeot was stronger. I walked over to the trainer who had withdrawn his Pokémon into the ball to rest. I simply put my hand out to help him up. Flank finally landed on the ground behind me with a loud "thump". The trainer eyed my carefully, then smiled. "You did pretty well; I haven't ever had my magnemite battle a Pidgeot of that size before." He took my hand and I helped him up. "Thunder is still too strong a move for it. Your Pidgeot is very resistant, must be his size..." The trainer was a bit younger than me, maybe seventeen. Not very long on the road, like myself I figured.

The trainers brown eyes matched the color of his messy hair. Freckles covered his face and arms. I couldn't help thinking how young he was. He was also shy and awkward. Flank then walked over and stood by me, he used to be so small and fragile, I didn't mention to the trainer that I rescued him after he was electrocuted by a telephone pole. I figured Flank could survive any amount of electricity after that. Standing so close to my Pidgeot really made the kid's eyes widen.

"Our Pokémon have both taken a lot of damage. Flank is still strong enough though, let me walk you to the nearest Pokémon Center." He pondered this for a moment and nodded with a shy smile. "I am Marie, by the way, from Jhotot." He looked at me then to Flank, seeming in awe by his size. Flank was almost a half a foot taller than most Pidgeot, he was about 5 foot.

The boy looked back at me, "I am Marvin, and thanks. You downed my last one, I only have three but I guess…I need to work harder. Though don't think I am weak, I am strong, you just caught me on a bad, long day." He rambled, a bit embarrased; his face was flushed too. Poor guy, I thought. I pulled out a folded piece of paper and unfolded it. I pointed at the nearest city I could find on the Kanto map.

"Here, Viridian City, north of Pallet town, it is the closest to the route we are on." He nodded in agreement, and from there we headed East.

It took us no more than a half an hour to walk over to the city and the Center. The nurse there took his Pokémon first, then mine. I shook his hand and wished him luck as we parted ways after healing our Pokémon. I wondered if I would have been that shy if I had gone out at a younger age. What was it like when kids went out when they were still only ten years old…? Terrifying I was sure…

There is a legend that the reason the age law was changed was because a trainer named Red became the league champion of every region in our world. He then fought one last battle in his old age to make sure no child under the age of sixteen was exposed to the world. People say after his travels he became a hard and cold man. I say he saw just things that should never have been seen; especially by a ten year old.

"Hmmm." The Legend of Red. I wonder.


	2. Chapter 2: Blunt Force Trauma

Chapter Two

As the trees began to thin out and I had better views of the mid day sunny sky I gave a sigh of relief. Dense forests always made me nervous. That and the hundreds of bug Pokémon I kept stumbling upon. I pulled out Flank's poke'ball from my pocket and let him out. He ruffled his feathers about which gave me a sense that he was grateful to be let out. He stood a bit shorter than me, about 5 feet from head to toe. I noticed he had something stuck on his beak, I could only guess it was a piece of the caterpie he caught earlier. "Gross Flank, clean your beak." He cooed at me and stretched out his wings, nearly knocking over a traveler I had noticed too late.

"Whoa, whoa!" She said getting a hold of her balance. She had a big floppy grass hat on and held a big net. A bug catcher, guess she is heading in the right direction though. Plenty of bug Pokémon in the forest behind us. "Watch your wings partner!" She said to Flank. She then saw me standing a few feet away and smiled. "Well, I wondered why such a large Pidgeot was out here, and now I know why!"

"Hey, sorry about that, he's been in his ball for a while." I flashed a quick toothy smile in her direction and then turned to jokingly chastise Flank; wagging my forefinger at him. He went along with me and hid his face under his big wings. Both the bug catcher and I laughed. "Did you come from Pewter City?" I asked, moving toward her a few steps. She positioned her net so she could lean on it. A warm breeze blew by; the bug catcher moved her free hand to hold down her hat.

"You bet I did, I live there. I come down here from time to time to see if I can find any good bug Pokémon." She smiled; her curly brown hair peeked from under the hat just barely. I thought it looked nice on her short, as opposed to my straight long hair. I began pondering if she could give me some hair tips when she started talking again. "So, you aren't from around here then?"

I looked around at the tall trees, the dirt path and and thick forest behind us as if verifying I was from another place. "Oh, yeah I came from route 22, heading toward the gyms and any other places I can explore." I pointed east toward the route. Her look changed from curiosity to something else.

"Wow! Long ways away! Well there's a gym right in the center of town! The Leader is Gran. He is real nice but very strong; his grandfather was the famous Brock!" She seemed so full of pride as if she were related too. I decided it wasn't my business to ask. Brock was a dark skin, dark haired rock type trainer. He was supposedly traveling with Red long ago, but he was long gone too. Everyone who knew Red is either passed on or very old.

"That's great!" I was about to leave but before I did I figured I should ask about the area. "Oh, and before we part ways, may I ask about the area? Is there anything interesting around here? Perhaps, maybe, some Pokémon other than the bug type?" She seemed a bit peeved at the remark but dismissed it by pointing northwest. "I do know of a cave fulla ground Pokémon." She smiled again at me. "It is called Diglett's Cave, and for a reason, you'll find out what I am talking about!" I imagined what a cave would look like, I had only ever seen them in books, now was my chance to see one for real!

I practically shouted at her, "Excellent! Thank you!" Before she could respond I ran off towards the cave, my feet kicking up dust as I did. "Come on, Buddy!" I shouted out. Flank flew up, leaving the bug catcher, and followed me from up in the air. I was heading for something new! Maybe I can even… I stopped in my tracks. An odd thought crossed my mind. I only have one Pokémon and no poke'balls. What if I came across one I might want to add to my team? I pondered these thoughts as Flank circled up above like a buzzard. I just barely saw him now; the trees began to thicken again. Maybe I am close… Oh! I spotted something not too far away, a hundred feet or so. It was a dark area, darker than it should be on this sunny, cloudless day.

"Flank! Land! We're here!" I shouted up, cupping my hands around my mouth to make them like a megaphone. I walked through some trees and bushes and confirmed my guess. There in the darkness was darkness; an opening in a small mountain; the entrance to Diglett's Cave. Flank landed on a large branch in the tree closest to the mouth of the cave. He peered into the darkness, like he was trying to make sense of it, make the caves contents visible. Once he seemed like he couldn't see, he cooed and shut his eyes altogether. I looked up at him and then back at the cave sighing.

I had a feeling that was his way of telling me he didn't want to go inside. "Are you kidding me?" I shouted up at him. "Get down here; you're going in with me!" He turned his head and kept his eyes closed, ignoring me. "I don't care, get down here!" I huffed and pounded my palms against the tree. I only succeeded in getting tree dust and dirt on my hands, though. I could climb it, but these were new jeans and I was tired of staining my only shirt. Why did I get a white shirt? I also began to doubt my shoes, doubt that they would ever have the grip to help me climb a tree. I half considered doing it barefoot.

Suddenly, a scuffling sound came from the cave and nearly made me jump ten feet in the air! The sound turned from scuffling to a bizarre hissing sound. This caught Flank's attention and his stubbornness turned to protectiveness. He was on the ground and standing defensively in front of me before I could blink. He squawked and screeched towards the hissing noise. We were now backed up against a tree with no idea what was coming out through the cave. Then, it was there.

A brown-grey figure sped out of the cave and onto Flank. "Flank!" I screamed, not sure what to do. It didn't take me more than a second to register that the thing was a radicate. Must be wild, why else would it attack? But it's broad daylight, they love the night! Another figure materialized out of the darkness of the cave, taller and much different looking than the brown fuzz ball. It was a trainer!

"Hey hey! I didn't give you permission to battle us!" The trainer was a tall, slim man, he wore a black suit and tie. He had slicked back black hair and thick eye glasses on. It made him look a bit like a bug. My anger grew and grew, "I said enough!" Without much other thought, I jumped into the fight and with all my strength I stopped the radicate mid tackle and shoved it backwards. It hissed at me and retreated towards its trainer never taking its eyes from Flank who was making terrible sounds now.

I turned my attention quickly to Flank assessing any damage. His left eye was bleeding and he was on his belly breathing heavily, the radicate nearly tore his face off with scratch. I fumed and glared at the trainer. "What in the name of Jhoto do you think you're doing?" I started towards him, fists balled, ready to battle him myself. He held up his hand and I stopped. Waiting to see what he had to say about this.

With a smile that felt more like a threat than an apology, he simply withdrew his radicate into an odd silver poke'ball, and walked back into the cave. I immediately began to chase him but remembering Flank I dismissed the crazy man and instead turned around, withdrawing Flank into his ball. I turned back towards the direction of the city and booked it. The last time I ran this fast was right after I found Flank, charred and barely alive thanks to a strike of lighting on a telephone pole. My mind went into the flashback of holding him as a pidgey in my arms, crying at the sight of his hurt little body.

It took me nearly ten minutes, or so I guessed, to reach the outskirts of Pewter city. There, like a temple of pure glory stood the small white and red pharmacy and hospital for Pokémon called a PokéCenter nearly knocked over the nurse when I ran into the center; more grateful it was so close to the outskirts than worried about her. I needed Flank to be okay, I thought he might lose his left eye and in my panic I forgot about all the man. A few nurses came to help me, two took Flank away and one stayed to talk to me. "Okay, we'll get him better in no time, as for you," she looked me over and frowned, her pink eyebrows furrowing, "we have showers and a fresh bed waiting, let's go honey." She led me into a small room much like that of a one bed hotel room. I was too worried about Flank to shower. If I had to wait I might as well clean up. I walked into the bathroom, separated by a sliding white door and look in the large square mirror handing above the sink. My hair was covered in dirt and a bit of leaf hung to some hair on the left side of my head. I figured this was from when I fell down a small hill after being scared half to death by a Kakuna. Thanks to my fall I discovered I had no coordination in forests full of bugs.

I picked out some clumps or dirt and the leaf from my poorly taken care of red hair. It had been a few days since I have had a decent shower. My last "shower" was thanks to a small creek I found not too long ago. I pulled off my dirty shirt and jeans, then the rest of my garments, leaving them in a pile on the toilet. It was a nice change of color in this intensely white bathroom.

After my shower I found a new shirt sitting neatly on the, also white, bed. "Oh." I picked it up; it was oddly enough my size. It was also black. I guessed the nurses dealt dirty trainers a lot. I changed back into my jeans and threw my white shirt on the bed, putting the black one on. Not feeling up to sleep I walked back out into the Center's lobby and asked about Flank. Seeing it was a different nurse from before I gave her my Trainer ID and described his condition. She told me go back to my room and that I wouldn't get him back until later tonight. "Get some sleep, Miss. He will be just fine." She smiled a kind one, and I trusted her. She had black hair unlike the one from before whose hair was quite pink. They all wore their hair in tight buns at the base of their neck, and wore the same white uniform and same white burse hats. Each hat had a red cross on that bore the mark of healing.

Center nurses were easy to trust, from the moment we enter school we are told the nurses and the police are people we can trust fully with anything. We also found out that thanks to incredible donations from the Pokémon league, we all get free human and Pokémon health care. All we needed was our certified Trainer ID.

Though instead of going back to my room I took my ID back and sat on a huge sofa facing the Center main counter. The sofa was placed against a window on the same wall as the entrance. The symmetry in this building was almost as painful as the whiteness of it. I heard once upon a time all the Center nurses were related, but thanks to time and change anyone can apply to be a nurse now. I wonder if they looked alike too. I thought about it again and shook my head, that'd be way weird. I sat with my knees together and elbows resting on them. People watching helped the time pass, trainers and nurses alike wondered all around in the building. It made me think about their battles and wonder if they dealt with similar situations with their Pokémon…

I was so consumed in my thoughts that it took me a while to notice the police officer standing in front of me, he had been trying to get my attention. "Miss? Miss?" He had plain brown hair, neatly cut under hit blue hat. "I was told you came frantically running in here. How did your Pokémon get that wound?" He stood tall in front of me with a small black notebook in his hands; his blue uniform was a nice change from the white walls and furniture of the center. "We are typically notified when trainers act so frantic in case someone was hurt." He smiled now, seeing my face must have told him something. "Though you seem fine, must have been a rough battle then?" He put the notebook away, sitting on a small red and white coffee table set up in front of the couch. The things dangling from his belt made "dink" sounds on the table's surface. He didn't have much besides some external pockets and flash lights, but did have a belt full of pokéballs. Most likely with top trained police Pokémon.

I replied a bit too quietly, remembering the trainer from the cave. "Oh, um, actually there wasn't a battle, just this creepy man." The trainers face was there in my mind, that terrible smile, so knowing and cruel… "His radicate attacked my pidgeot out of nowhere. I didn't give permission for a battle. I don't know where the man is now though. I was too worried about my pidgeot to follow him when he ran off..." I stared down into my lap, realizing I was picking at my nails nervously.

I also didn't realize that the officer's smile faded and his face grew hard. "Ma'am," his tone was hard too, "I need you to describe this man to me, and this is now a matter of police affairs." I watched his face to see if he was joking. Clearly this was no joke. What had I gotten myself into?


	3. Chapter 3: Surprised

Chapter 3

My surprise and shock overwhelmed me, I couldn't speak. I stared into the eyes of the officer, his intense eyes… I thought I was in trouble. Was that man important? Did I threaten a gym leader? What if they took my ID for this? What will my mom say? It has only been two weeks, and I can't go to jail!

"Ma'am! Please, focus. You aren't in trouble." His eyes seemed less intense but from the looks of other people around us I'd say it was just a show for them. "Come on; let's move to a more private room." He stood up from the coffee table and gestured me to follow. I looked around at all the different faces staring at me, accusing me as I slowly stood and followed the officer. My shame should not have been so vibrant, but it seemed everyone knew, I was in trouble.

We walked past the desk and towards the left part of the building where some of the guest rooms were. We walked past my room and down the white hall, in through a white door named "Private". As the officer closed it behind me, he gestured for me to sit down in a surprisingly dark wooden chair. This room was by far the best thing I have seen since arriving here. The desk, the shelves, even the window frame was dark wood. The room was painted a nice red color and had some friendly photos of Pokémon and some had the officer in them. He was huddled in a group of mightyena and houndoom. They all panted and his grin nearly reached as far as his face was wide.

I sat down and he crossed around the room and around a very nice desk with a name tag clad in gold that said "Officer Brighton". I guess he worked here, for cases like mine. My thoughts turned back to what he said. "This is now a matter of police affairs"…

"Miss? First of all, my name is Brighton. I don't want you to think you are in any kind of trouble." He sat down at a large leather chair and folded his fingers and laid them on the desk. The window behind him let in so much light that his face was drenched in shadow, but not enough so that I couldn't see his sharp features, and oddly enough aged features. I figured him at first to be my age, but another look told me otherwise. He was much older than he seemed; old enough to force old fashioned furnishings on such a white and plain building.

"This man, we have had similar cases like you, before today. Let me break it down for you, simply. Over the past two months trainers have been bringing Pokémon to the Center. Unlike you, though, I am sad to say…" He paused, the hardness vanishing in his face only to be replaced by what seemed to be sorrow. "In your case, you are the only one to bring us a living victim."

I gasped and before he could continue, I butted in. "You have _got_ to be kidding me! This is a joke right? No normal trainer is allowed to kill Pokémon? That only happens in gym battles, and in the Pokémon League! You expect me to take this seriously? I mean come on, he _walked_ away from me. Flank was _hardly_ dead." I didn't expect my words to sound so sarcastic, I wish I hadn't said so much.

"This is no joke. I am absolutely serious! You really are the only person, in twelve cases, to have brought back a surviving Pokémon from his attacks." He stated this in a much more angry tone. He shot up from his desk and stomped over to a filing cabinet. I was dreading what he was about to show me. As he rummaged, I knew. I knew what he was going to show me. It was always this way in cop shows where the dead are photographed and later shown to a character to either convict them or help them find closure. I was startled by a loud "thump!" and nearly fell out of the chair.

Getting back my composure I saw he was still standing but facing away from me and staring out the window and at a large field behind the Center, in the distance I saw some clusters of buildings and closer to us was a large and very plain old building. I figured it was the Gym. My eyes drifted down to what had made the loud sound. There on his neat wooden desk, sitting next to a plain silver lamp was a fat yellow folder.

"I'm not looking at those. I'm sorry; I didn't mean to get so upset. I just find it hard to believe I came across the same person who…" I couldn't finish my sentence but luckily I didn't have to. He turned around and sat back down, the leather chair making an odd sound as he settled his body in it.

"Look, I don't want to ask again. I don't know if it is the same person, which is why I need you to tell me what he looked like. If he was, we may get a lead to where he is. Other trainers, they had been knocked out by the battles end and when they woke up could only give a description of him, but not a location." He sounded so urgent I couldn't wait any longer. I told him everything that happened, my encounter with the bug catcher who told me about Diglett's Cave and then about what happened when I had arrived there. Officer Brighton was on a phone at once, I couldn't see the face of who he was phoning through the video phone stationed on his desk, but it sounded like some kind of official.

"Alright, seems like we have an identification match, if anything he wouldn't be around here long, he must have left the cave at the other and only other exit the cave has. Thank you for all your time." He rummaged again, this time through his desk, and handed me a sheet of paper.

"What's this for?" I asked perplexed by any paperwork he might need from me.

"I need you to write your name, address, phone if you have one and ID. Then rewrite the things you told me about the man. I have to go, you are free to go when you fill that out, just leave it on my desk." And with that he swept out of the room as fast as a quick attack.

I stared at the paper for a long while before grudgingly filling it out. I was getting tired of thinking about this man. I just wanted to get back my Flank and leave, never seeing, or even thinking about this man again. I left the filled out paper on his desk, exited the room and left out through the door and finally through that white hall and straight up to the nurses counter. "I am taking my Pidgeot now. Please." The nurse with pink hair was back, she looked at me with curiosity but no judgment.

"If you insist. He won't be able to see through his left eye though. We put him under the best treatment we had." She reached under the counter and I assumed she pushed a button. A nurse came through a set of doors behind the counter. This one was blonde with a round face. They shared a conversation in whispers and the blonde went back through the doors. "He has been ready to go for a few minutes now, good timing Miss Marie." She smiled at me. I hadn't heard much of anything, though, since my thoughts reeled around the idea of Flank being blind in one eye. I also had just realized I had been digging my fingers into the counter. She pink haired nurse eyes my hands and then retreated into the doors. Not even a moment later she came out with my pokéball.

"Here he is, almost as good as new, if there are any more problems come straight back. Thank you for using the Center today. Have a good day." Her robotic reply was my cue to leave. I shoved his ball into my pants pocket and left the center holding back tears.

The sun was only two hours from setting; I sat on a hill a few hundred feet away from the Center. It looked like a garden. It gave me a pretty good view of the rather flat Pewter City. I was right when I thought that building was the Gym. I saw trainers going in and out, quickly… Not a very reassuring sign, I thought.

I pulled Flank's ball out of my pocket. Looking inside I saw he was sleeping. It never ceased to amaze me, the technology we had. Pokéballs allowed us to see through the red top and look upon our shrunken Pokémon inside. I noticed the healing had left a jagged scar over his left eye, I wondered if he would even be able to open it. Though after hearing how that officer sounded, I was just so glad my Flank was even alive.

Had I really been so close to losing my best friend so soon in my journey to death? The thought made me cringe.


	4. Chapter 4: Turn of Events

Thank you for everything, my readers for supporting my first story ^_^

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><p>Chapter 4<p>

After making my way back to the Center and getting back into my room I finally let myself relax. I let Flank out of his ball and threw down the bed's fluffy white comforter onto the floor so he could roost there. The super fluffy comforter was perfectly nestled into one of the corners in the room. He sleepily waddled over to it and started making his self at home in the fluff. When his large body snuggled against the twice folded comforter square, it looked like he was roosting on a big fluffy cloud. He cooed and ruffled his feathers. The bed now was quite bare with now only two pillows and a, oddly enough, light blue sheet covering the bed set. It was a queen bed, big enough for two. I was grateful, though, regardless of the size, to have a real bed.

Sitting on the bed I started recalling how I had been sleeping the past few weeks. Using Flank as my pillow and warmth, each night and nestled under the open sky. I used leaves and grass for my bedding, once or twice two while I searched for berries and things to eat Flank would actually build a nest big enough for the two of us high in the trees. That came in handy when it rained because all I had to do was curl up with Flank and he would use one of his water proof wings to shelter me from the rain and cold.

I realized then that I should buy a small tent and sleeping bag as soon as I came across a store. I literally left home with nothing my Flank, his ball, the clothes on my back and my wallet. I had been using natural things for teeth brushing and sand in rivers for bathing ever since I lost the ones I originally brought…. I didn't stink though. Thanks to our wonderful garden back home, and my mother, I learned how to make soaps and learned about plants and their special properties.

I flopped down onto the bed, laying on my back and staring at the light fixture on the ceiling. The light bulb only made the room that much more white. I couldn't get over how clean and unlived this whole place seemed. It sort of gave me the creeps.

Then, as if reading my mind the bulb went out! I was about to get up to complain that it needed a change when a low tone sounded on a small intercom above the bedroom door. Weird, I don't remember seeing that, I thought. An automated, but female, voice began speaking after the tone ended, "Curfew is now in effect, it is ten pm, lights out. Thank you for using Pewter City Pokémon Center. Have a pleasant night's sleep." The intercom beeped again and I figured the same thing would happen in the morning too. We are so lucky we have voltorb to run our energy system these days.

I sat back up and left the bed to the far side of the room where the small bathroom was located. Inside I stripped my clothes and showered. I was grateful they had complimentary shampoo and a fresh bar of soap. Earlier I was too freaked out to shower for very long, but this time I just wanted to soak and stand there. I rested my head against the tile that surrounded the three walls and floor of the one person shower. The door was clouded up until about a person's head. So the body was faded but I could see the door leading into the bathroom clearly, even through the steam.

I was so grateful for the free soaps, I was also grateful when I noticed the untouched toothbrush packed in plastic set on the small counter on the bathroom. There was also toothpaste and floss.

Grooming myself had really made me look different. My first shower was quick and half hearted, but thanks to this one my head was thoroughly washed and scrubbed. I found a hairbrush also wrapped in plastic under the sink, well, a comb. There was a whole nest of them under there. _I wonder if they breed…._ I made myself smile at the ridiculous thought. I supposed having Flank happily sleeping away made me really relax from the earlier events of the day. I wiped my hand across the steamy mirror above the sink…

I looked at myself with a now clean body, clean teeth, and clean hair. I looked decent for once. A knock on the main door pulled me away from my reflection. After quickly drawing my clothes back on I answer, "Who is it?"

"Ma'am, my name is Trevor, I represent Pewter City Gym. I have been walking around town all day in search of trainers for an event we are hosting tomorrow night. Will you open the door?" From the sound of his voice he seemed kind enough. Being cautious I opened the door just a bit, due to curfew, the only light source in my room was from the bathroom, so I was a bit blinded when I saw the bright light from the hallway. Standing there in a formal suit was a young man, maybe my age, who held a leather pouch. He greeted me with a shy grin. "I am sorry if I interrupted you," noting my recently watered down hair. He blushed a bit. His eyes were blue but nothing too notable about them besides the look of kindness that showed in them.

"Hello." I simply said. I didn't realize how tired I was until I heard myself speak. It was such a quiet response I barely heard it myself. He didn't seem bothered by it though and opened that leather pouch. The black of it gleamed in the light, but what he pulled out from the pouch distracted my attention. The piece of paper he held was dark grey and black, with a sort of tye-died look to it. Thought the most interesting part wasn't so much the paper, but the ink on the paper. It flashed gold, then silver, metallic… _Oh, I get it, because it is a rock-type gym… _"What's this for?" I asked as he handed me the pretty piece of paper.

It wrote:

_Dear Trainer,_

_ You are cordially invited to the twelfth annual Pewter City Gym Ball. I, Gran, host this event to honor Pokémon lost in battle and to honor those trainers who battle alongside their Pokémon in hopes to one day become a Pokémon League Official Member. We will dance and rejoice, celebrate and enjoy the things we sometimes take for granted: Each other. Trainers strive in groups, the friendship and bonds they make last lifetimes. As my Grandfather told me as a child, "Those who isolate themselves, never truly know the power of love and friendship." So come, enjoy a worry free night, make new friends and partake in refreshments and even friendly battles._

_Sincerely,_

_ Gran, Gym Leader_

_July 1__st__, 2118_

_8pm_

_Pewter City Gym, Main Battle Stage_

_Formal Attire_

The paper was neat and very pretty, I moved around the page to see how the writing shimmered and changed. Seeming pleased by my response to the invite, most likely not realizing that I was more interested in the shininess then the info on it, he took a bow and left, "We will see you there, ma'am."

Before I could say I didn't even have formal attire he was gone. I felt my face frown and I retreated back into the dark room, shutting the door. Setting the card down on a small dresser I stripped to my t-shirt and underpants and crawled under the thin sheet. I was asleep as soon as I shut my eyes.

I woke up, as I predicted, to a familiar low tone, followed by a voice. "Good morning trainers. We hope you rested well. The time is seven am in the morning." I thought that seemed redundant but the voice continued without fault, "We are serving hot breakfast in the Center cafeteria located on the South East Wing of the Center. Thank you, and enjoy your day!"

With a tired sigh and a heavy body, I somehow managed to get ready in no time at all. Flank was still sleeping so I withdrew him in his ball. Having no other personal items I left the room, only taking the toothbrush, paste and comb. I realized I needed a bag. Though I was never one for owning things unnecessarily, but why I did buy a new toothbrush after losing the one I did bring was because there was no place around to buy one...

"Sometimes, I am so dumb…" I muttered to myself, snatching the invite from the dresser and then shutting the door to the white room behind me as I entered the hallway. Nothing was different, bright and white, obnoxious as ever. I headed toward the lobby to ask for my meal to go. I doubted I would really go to the ball. I didn't own anything formal.

I began to speak as soon as I was in audible range of the front desk, "I was just wondering if I could purchase the breakfast to go?" I rested my left hand on the counter as my right hand fished for the wallet in my rear jean pocket. From the wallet I pulled out my ID card, which also had my savings account information on it.

"Oh, my goodness, miss. We serve breakfast free regardless of whether you eat it here or not." It was the blonde nurse, she giggled at me. "I will go grab you some, we happen to have it ready to go for such situations." As she walked off another person approached the counter next to me.

Standing at my height to my left was a girl a little younger than me. She wore a very tired and uninterested expression on her pale face. Her grey eyes were stunning. They seemed to take on colors around her; the white in the room only intensified the bright blue wind breaker she was wearing. Despite the sunny summer days, it still got cold at night and in the early morning. I glanced towards the wall behind the counter. A round, black rimmed, white clock hung perfectly center on the wall. The time read seven am.

"Do you know where she just went?" I was a bit startled that this bored looking girl had actually instigated conversation with me, she hardly seemed the type. Those grey eyes looked as blue as the tropical oceans of the south. Her bright blonde hair shined like the sun. She was gorgeous! I felt small with my simple red hair and plain blue eyes. I frowned, and she took this as an "I don't know." Her expression changed then. "Oh, sorry. I am not a morning person. I suppose I am cranky because it had been a long train ride for me."

I shook my head, feeling less small. "No, I was just taken aback. If I may be so bold as to say, you have fascinating eyes." The girl had not expected this; her pale face grew pink with shyness. I mistook her earlier expression, she was just shy. "Oh. The nurse went to get me a breakfast to go. Bad timing on our parts I suppose. Are your Pokémon injured?" I was truly concerned; maybe she encountered that creepy man… I shuddered.

"Nope. As you can see," she gestured to below the counters eye level to a figure standing on four legs. A very cute Persian sat by her left side. That was why I hadn't noticed it before. "I actually came to town to visit a cousin, and to attend the annual Pewter City Ball." She wasn't really looking at my face when she talked, I guessed her shyness made it hard for her to look people in the eyes.

"Ah, I would have liked to go, but I don't have any formal gowns." My reply, I thought, made me seem indifferent to my going or not. The girl rested her hands and forearms on the counter, then leaned her body down onto her arms. Her butt stuck out like she was posing. I mostly assumed though that was just how she rested. My mom always forced her views of posture onto me, and thanks to countless hours walking and walking, I never felt the urge to lean. I had built a lot of endurance these past few weeks.

"Here we are the nurse is coming back." She stayed leaning on the counter.

"Oh, miss Karen! It is a pleasure to see you again. I hope your family is doing well." The blonde nurse was back behind the counter. Her smile towards the girl, Karen, seemed very natural. This blew all the shyness away and they started chatting like they were old, old friends. "Gran will be excited to see you. He keeps telling everyone how strong his cousin is, and that you are in line to inherit the gym if you wanted. How exciting for you!"

The…gym? It hit me then, this girl was Gran's, the Pewter City Gym Leader, cousin?

"You aren't Karen Stone, are you?" I asked, interrupting the chatting girls. Karen nodded though, seeming unaffected by my rude question.

"Yup. My dad and Gran's dad are brothers. The legendary Brock is my grandfather." The way she said this told me she was asked about this a lot. I shut my mouth and stopped asking questions. The nurse had absentmindedly sat a lunch sac on the counter. Paper bags were perfect for me; toss them when they were all used up. It said "To Go" so I grabbed it and walked away, feeling awkward by the reunion.

"Flank, what happened? I used to have so many friends, now I feel so awkward." Assuming he could hear me in my pocket I continued. "Remember Stanly? He was the first friend I made, taught me how to climb trees…" I was fast walking, holding tightly to the paper bag, it crumpled under my grip.

"I don't think anything is wrong with you!" I was so preoccupied in my thoughts I hadn't noticed that Karen was walking in step next to me. I nearly died of a heart attack. My hand flew to my chest, as if I could stop my heart from beating so frantically.

"Oh my gosh, you startled me!" I panted. I had stopped walking by this point and so had Karen. I noticed her persian wasn't with her, maybe she left it at the center or stored it in it's ball.

"Sorry! I did not mean to. You just seemed so interesting, so I followed you." She smiled at me, her hands were clasped together and then she put them under her chin making her look incredibly innocent. "So, have you challenged Gran yet? You will have to wait until tomorrow; the ball is tonight after all."

"I can't go to the ball. I don't even think I will challenge him, I wanted to head to Cerulean first." I glanced over to the mountain range I would have to travel through.

"You… aren't going to the ball?" She seemed more aghast at this then at my not challenging him. "How come? It's a huge event that people from all over Kanto try to attend. It's very limited, first come first serve apart from VIPs." She seemed so confident in her response.

"I grew up in Jhoto…" I said, and then she got it.

"Oh! That explains it. Well, I think you should go!"

"I don't… I don't have any other clothes…" I looked down at my tattered jeans and oddly nice shirt. Only thanks to the center."

"Oh that is no big deal! I have tons of dresses! Okay, want to borrow one?" The look in those eyes of hers made it impossible for me to say no. From what seemed to be such a shy person blossomed this incredibly enthusiastic girl. I nodded.

"Alright. This could be fun."


	5. Chapter 5: Surprise, Surprise

Chapter 5

Her closet was huge. She rummaged through looking for some dresses, tossing back perfectly adequate ones. She told me that none of these were suitable for me and kept digging. For a guest house I was absolutely speechless. It took us fifteen minutes to walk towards the manors and when we got to her house, Gran's house too, the first thing I noticed was the fences. They were tall and regal, black and perfectly cylindrical. Each pole was topped off by a beautifully untouched stone, each all around the same size, but different shapes and colors. When we got through the gate, the view of the manor was amazing. It was large and grey and very, very square. Trees perfectly framed the driveway and the stone door entrance. There were ten windows on each side of the house; five for each floor. I was holding onto my empty paper bag, the sack lunch had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, apple slices and a cheese stick in it. I was greatly disappointed it wasn't breakfast. I twisted and twisted the bag wishing I had eaten it now instead of on the way here because she was taking her sweet time with her closet.

"Aha!" Karen shouted; I had wandered over to the window in her room. It was much bigger than it looked from outside. It filled in most of the wall. There was gorgeous paneling surrounding the window in a lighter black, but not quite grey. "This dress is _perfect_ for you!" Her smile reached from ear to ear and she lifted up the most stunning dark green dress I had ever seen. I realized she was looking for a dress to compliment my hair. I loved it. It was silk, a halter. The dress was long and sleeveless and it had a diamond lain belt the rested right below the breast.

"I cann_ot_ wear this." I protested. The dress was way too expensive and I didn't want to risk ruining it. That and I could never afford it if I damaged it. I stared at it, though, with want.

"Oh, don't be silly, I only wore it once. It was a gift from the League. Besides," She handed me the dress and I reluctantly, and carefully, took it. She rummaged again, through her suitcase this time, and pulled out a black, flat rectangular box. Her suitcase was as nice as the dress I had in my hands. It was huge with lots of pockets and layers and cushion. I was feeling poorer by the second.

"Really, I just would feel bad if I damaged this dress." I tried to set it on the bed but she threw the black box at the bed and that caused me to draw back. I looked over at her with wide eyes, but that only made the situation worse. If my eyes could widen anymore they would. I was staring at a gorgeous short blue party dress. It was also made of silk and covered in wonderful, white, flower embroidery. It covered the side of the dress and got more complicated towards the bottom. The dress looked like it would be a tight fit, a fit that would hug the curves of a woman's body just right.

"What do you think? This was a gift from Gran! He told me I could get any dress I wanted in a boutique in Saffron City!" She hugged the dress in her arms. "It spoke to me so I got this one." All I could think of is how the money she spent on that dress would have bought half the flowers in my family's shop.

"It's amazing. So, you really are okay with my wearing this green one?" She nodded happily, her wavy blonde hair swayed back and forth.

Instead of letting me do what I wanted until the dance, Karen dragged me all around with her. We went to the mart and I ended up getting a one person ten and a thin sleeping bag. I also got a backpack. It was nice to have a bag to put all my things in. The bag was very simple, one main pocket, one thinner one and three smalls ones on the sides and front. It was a black and white backpack. The tent was brown and the sleeping bag was black. I figured dark colors wouldn't look as dirty. The tent folded up in a cylinder was just small enough to fit in my bag along with the sleeping bag all rolled up too. I set the toiletries from the Center in the small front pocket. Karen was talking to a brunette at the counter, the two girls were chatting away but not the way I saw at the center. From what I could tell Karen was buying something offered only when the clerk brought it out. Another expensive item I guessed. My purchase was a spendy price, but I needed these things. What could she possibly need?

I was sitting down on a bench by a window in the mart. I had the backpack on my lap and I was hugging it to my body and leaning my chin on it. Karen walked over to me and shoved something in my face. "Here, this is a gift for you." She held out a nice white box with a label and a photo on it. "It is an xtransceiver. It is a pretty handy phone. You number will be there when you turn it on. Also it charged by the sun so it is perfect for travelers. Oh it is waterproof too." I took it from her and stared at the box.

"How did you know I didn't have a phone?" was all I could manage, too absolutely stoked to get something so amazing. "Thank you. Thank you so much!" I stood up, the backpack falling to the ground and I hugged her. She got stiff and sort of hugged me back but let go really quick.

"No problem, I get discounts for being related to the gym leader here. No need to pay me back either." She smiled, the awkwardness of the hug vanished behind her smile. "Come on; let's get ready for the ball!"

And so we were off, back to her manor, to spend three hours getting manicured, pedicured, make-upped, hair do'd and finally dressed.

"Wow, you clean up great Marie!" She clapped her hands together. She was right. I never wore make up and I rarely dressed up. The last time I wore anything this nice was for my father's funeral. I was staring at myself in the mirror. I was glad I had let her talk me into this.

Then I saw her in her dress. She walked over to me. The mirror in her bathroom was wall sized. It was amazing that both of us fit in the reflection. I was right about the dress, though, it hugged her perfectly. She had the windbreaker on earlier, but when we got to her house I noticed she wore a very plain short sleeved sweater dress. It was short too, but it and the windbreaker didn't show her shape.

"My, my, you have quite the figure. Are you a model back in Jhoto?" She had her hands on her hips, she looked at her reflection when she spoke, her voice barely audible.

"Wh-what? No! My goodness I was a florist." I felt my face getting warm. Her expression returned to that bored look I saw on her when I first saw her. It was almost like she wasn't happy with her appearance. Shyness again? Or did she really think I looked so good?

As fast as a Pokémon coming out for a battle her smile was back on her face. I was having a difficult time reading her. Usually I could read anyone like a book. From what I could tell though, her smile was really just a façade to hide her shyness. _Maybe she isn't confident?_ I thought to myself. "Well, either way, e both look GOOD!" With that she turned and left the bathroom. After looking at my reflection a moment longer, looking at my hair all curled and pinned up in a loose bun, looking at the glossy black flats and the gorgeous green dress I wore I felt satisfied enough to go to this ball.

Outside in the bedroom, Karen was sitting on her bed. It had a thick red and white duvet and tons of fancy matching pillows. Some round, cylinder, some square and then in the midst was a stuffed animal of a meowth. That made me smile. The only doll I had ever owned was a human baby doll. Seeing her meowth doll, old and loved, brought back feelings of when my dad was still alive.

She looked back in the direction of my stare, "That's Samara! I have had her since I was a baby. It was a gift from my parents. I don't see them much anymore so I bring it with me when I travel. Do you think it is silly?" Her look seemed worried, like she was afraid I would reject her doll and make her feel bad.

"I have a doll too, from when I was little. I left her at home though. I think it's great you travel with her." She sat up from the bed, she had been strapping on white toeless high heels. They worked well to compliment her dress. Her hair was styled in the same fashion mine was, but ten times curlier. My hair didn't hold curls well. She reminded me of a country singer I like a lot. "We had better go." I said, pointing to a digital clock sitting on the old fashioned wood night stand.

"You're right. Hm, alright, I think we are good to go!" She had told me earlier I could leave all of my things here. I brought only my ID card and Flank. The ID card fit perfectly in my bra, then that way I knew I wouldn't lose it. Flank on the other hand was strapped around my neck on a chain Karen gave me. Pokéballs had a special clip that allowed for them to hook onto belts and necklaces. Karen also told me that with her I didn't need to bring my invite. So I left it in my bag.

Waiting outside was a small car, black and very expensive looking with tinted windows and everything. We were driven to the gym, the drive wasn't too long, but a lot of cars were out tonight. I didn't think this town could even hold so many cars. The gym was all lit up with cars and flashing cameras and lights shining way up into the sky. Our car pulled into an empty lane I assumed was designated for specialty guests. When we got to the entrance a man in a tailcoat opened the door. Karen got out then I followed. I was greeted with flashing lights and loud voices. I felt like a celebrity but I also felt awkward and was really hoping no silly photos of me turned out. Karen was very confident looking as she waved and helped me down the aisle and into the entrance.

When we got in we entered the lobby of the gym. Typically this is where trainers set their meeting with the gym leader. Before they get to fight the leader they go through a series of trials and fight other trainers who had signed up too. Whoever was the last one standing was the one who got to challenge the gym leader. Now the lobby was full of gowns and tuxedos. Trainers of all types were here tonight.

One trainer in particular caught my eye. He was tall, with long, loosely worn black hair and a terrifying but, amazing black mask. It looked like a haunter mask, but very well done.

Karen pointed him out too. "Wow look at him! He looks mysterious, doesn't he? Usually this event is so boring but I am very glad you are here. Usually I am bored out of my mind. So, thanks for coming with me, Marie." She looped her arm around mine on the right side and squeezed it once and then let go. I dragged my eyes away from the black masked man right as he caught my eyes. Karen and I walked out of the lobby and into the main dance floor (aka the battle floor). It was decorated with fancy silver lights and ribbons, silver balloons perfectly ordered right below the battle viewing rooms that leaders can watch battles from. Sometimes they even put obstacle courses in here for trainers to show their resourcefulness in a terrain based battle.

Now it was flat and large and full of people dancing. It was a formal dance so they kept their bodies apart and spun in beautiful circles. To the right and left side of the floor were tables full of complimentary beverages and foods. It was beautiful in here. It was also very warm. Thanks to our dress up party, we were a half an hour late. Karen grabbed my forearm and dragged me off to a less busy side of the room. "So, I have to find Gran and we need to greet the room as a whole, and then do a ballroom dance together to kick off the main events. After that it is really boring but with you here I am sure we can find something fun to do!" She smiled but it didn't show in her eyes. "Time for fun!" She walked off leaving me against the wall, before I could even say anything.

"Oh wonderful, now what?" I asked myself. I looked at the food on the table and my mouth began to water. The food on the table was the most amazing food I had seen in a very long time. There were cut pieces of meat and assorted fruits and vegetables with too many types of crackers to count. "Rich people, my goodness." I muttered as I gave into my craving for cutely assorted snacks. Even the plates were ornamental ceramics. After piling on one of just about everything I wandered away from the table and watch people dance across the floor. It was a type of ballroom dancing, swaying, arms length apart and grace. As much grace as a kirlia dancing in a field.

My attention was brought to the far side of the room. I turned to my left and watched along with everyone else as Karen and Bran took the brought in stage against the far wall under the leader viewing room. They announced their named, their status then they began welcoming all the prominent guests, then everyone else as a whole. They talked about the rules and locations where battles could be held between a trainer and their one Pokémon, and it was a one hit match, no one would be allowed to fight until fainting. I was listening for the most part, but someone beside be distracted me.

"Wonderful night for a ball, isn't it?" I jumped a bit at the sudden voice by my right side. "My apologies miss; I did not mean to startle you." I looked over and noticed the loosely worn black hair and the dark purple haunter mask covering his whole face besides his eyes.

"Yes, uh, it is a good night." I said shyly. He looked dashing in a dark suit, he was tall and thin, but didn't seem too thin. He wore wonderful cologne and I couldn't help but inhale deeply. Then I caught his eyes. They were a light but very intricately designed brown color, like the color of root beer; it even had spurts of super light, brown freckles in his eyes. "Um, I, uh." I couldn't form words.

"See there? The leaders are starting the ball off with a dance." He pointed with his right arm, leaning in to show me where Karen and Gran were dancing in the now very open dance floor. So close. I could feel my face get warmer. I was grateful for the dimmed lighting.

Just as I turned my face around to meet his, around a foot away from his face, a bright red light filled the area and Flank was between me and the masked man in an instant. Before I could register what was really happening Flank was attacked the man, we was so vicious and was making horrible sounds I didn't even recognize him as Flank, but there he was, hissing and squawking at this man. I was about to return him to his ball when an eevee flew past me and tackled Flank into a wall.

"Hey! What is going on with you, buddy?" I ran over to flank, he was unconscious and the eevee was now a foot away growling at Flank and I. Karen came running over, I hadn't realized the whole room had gone quiet. Everyone was watching the scene.

"What on earth do you think you are doing? Are you trying to get arrested?" Karen was shouting at me, then she called to the eevee, it ran over to her after giving Flank another long glare.

"I was-AHH" The last thing I knew I was kneeling next to Flank, then all of a sudden I was surrounded by dark, dark purple skin, all around me, squeezing tighter and harder. Hissing? "Ah!" I choked out, my breath was being cut so short, and everything hurt, then my name? Following by quiet and darkness…


	6. Chapter 6: Quiet Time

Chapter 6

I woke up in a haze, and my head was killing me. I felt that I was in a bed and the bed was familiar. I had sat on this bed earlier today while watching Karen frantically buzz around her room. I was in her room. How did I get here though? Before opening my eyes I knew that the lights were off, or at least dimmed. Though, I still didn't want to open my eyes. It felt nice to keep them closed. I was going to let sleep catch up to me, I'd worry about how I got here later, but I was so sleepy.

Though, my peace was disturbed by a sound in the room. My eyes shot open. I sat up too quickly and fell down back against the plush bed. I was right about the room being dimmed; I couldn't make out the figure sitting near the book case on my right side view of the room. I turned my head so I could speak in that direction. Light poured from the window, shadowing the figure even more; even when I squinted I couldn't see. "Karen?" I asked.

"Oh my gosh Marie, You're awake… Finally. What on earth was that all about? I mean your Pidgeot attacked that man," she pointed at me, "Then that arbok came out of nowhere and attacked you!" She was ranting now, talking about how she had to call the police, how I rushed here, and that her family doctor came out on a night call to examine me, turned out I was fine…

"Karen. Karen? Karen!" I had to nearly shout to get her to stop talking. "Honestly I don't remember much, my head hurts a lot." I touched my head.

"Well, you were attacked and you passed out, I am not really surprised. I hate to disturb your resting though, but the police want to talk to you about what happened, they're downstairs." She came over and held out her hand to help me out of bed. "You should probably change out of the dress though. You can come back and sleep after you tell them your side."

I got out of the comfortable bed regrettably and slowly walked over to my pile of clothes with Karen's help. I could barely stand my head hurt so badly so I changed while sitting on the ground.

"He creeps me out, Marie." The sudden change of topic startled me.

"Um." I had to think for a minute as we left the room and headed downstairs. The grand staircase seemed to be never ending. "Oh, the masked man, right. I thought he was attractive." I defended, feeling weird for admitting that. "That was random?"

"I just, sure he's cool looking, but he seemed," she paused, she had a disgruntled look on her face, "pleased about the whole situation, then after my Pokémon and Gran's fought off that arbok, that man ran outside after it."

"Oh, great." I said as we reached the end of the staircase, the police saw me and started walking over. I sat at the bottom stair with Karen.

"What?" She asked.

"Why do I get all the weirdoes attacking me? I feel like I am in some sort of fiction story."

Before she could comment the police man from the other day kneeled in front of me. "Well, well, look who is in the middle of this again." He sort of half smiled as he looked at me. I felt more of a sympathy smile from him than a concerned smile.

"It isn't like I am asking for it!" I was getting too defensive, but of course he made a good point. I bowed my head in frustration.

"Sorry, ma'am, we speculate your Pidgeot attacked that man because he was the one who attacked you in the forest. Seems he has a liking to you and your Pokémon. We lost track of him and the arbok after the attack. I assure you though we will find him." He touched my shoulder gently, I looked up, a snarky expression I was sure covered my face.

"You better. This is not fun and I am not amused." I caught the officer off guard. Sighing, "I'm sorry" to him as I stood but wobbled a little. Karen shot up and grabbed hold of my arm.

"Hey, now, take it easy." The officer furrowed his eyebrows. "I suggest you two try to better protect yourselves. Now, what do you remember from last night?" He asked, now standing with a little notebook in his hands.

I thought for a moment. "I remember, Flank, then pain. Not much after…" A thought struck my mind, making my head hurt more. "That man, he came up to me and started talking to me, but I don't remember what he said. I would recognize his voice though if I ever heard it again!" I was getting excited, feeling like I had something on this man. "He also has very brown eyes. If that helps. Black hair, brown eyes, tall, he sounded older, maybe his mid twenties?"

The officer was writing furiously. "Thank you, this is very useful. We will get a search started. He won't be coming back to town anytime soon so I think you will be okay for a while here in Pewter City." He took a low bow to us both and came up with a smile. "Thank you for your time, and get some rest, you deserve it after all the chaos you have been through." He turned and left with some other policemen. The foyer was now empty and the maids had begun to dim the lights.

"May I go to sleep now? We can figure this stuff out in the morning." I said, placing my hand on my throbbing forehead.

"Sure, let's go for a walk tomorrow, I have a special place I like to go to in the forest that's very calming. It should take stress off your mind." She helped me upstairs and back to the bed. Leaving me to dwell, and soon sleep took over.

I woke up to warm sunshine peering through the window, I had somehow managed to flip my shirt inside out, my pants were thrown clear across the room and all the covers had been kicked off the bed. For such a violent sleeper, I was surprised I hadn't fallen off the bed.

I got up, feeling energized and noticing my headache was gone, and I cleaned up the room. Folding all my clothes and making the bed made me feel accomplished. I tucked in my thin pajama bottoms and tank top into my backpack and threw on my jeans and t-shirt. Feeling confident the room was at its cleanest I left the room and headed downstairs to the kitchen.

"Good morning!" Karen squealed as she ran over to me. The more I spent time with her the more comfortable she was around me.

"Hey, thank you for letting me borrow your bed last night." I gave a slight bow.

"No worried, we have plenty of space here." She gestured to the kitchen. "Even this kitchen is large!" She was right, it was large. The floors were most likely terracotta. The counters were white marble as were the two pillars on two sides of the center range in the middle of the kitchen. There were three ranges, one in the center and two on the wall counters. There were two fridges; I could only guess was was an actual fridge and the other a giant freezer. There were Corinthian styled lights that hung off the high ceiling, their floral, leafy look shone in bright white marble as well. The kitchen was decked out in the newest looking appliances from toasters, to the four huge ovens, the two large microwaves and all the little gadgets all around.

What took my breath away the most, though, was the setting of amazing breakfast foods set out on the center counter. My mouth hung open and I nearly drooled all over myself. My stomach growled, I was starving.

"Well, that settled that then I guess." She laughed and grabbed a china place stacked on the edge of the counter. She began to harvest the sweeter of the foods from the set out. She grabbed two puffy waffles, covered them in fresh strawberries and natural strawberry syrup, and then grabbed a red banana, some hot coco and a huge pile of bacon.

I had my eyes on the sausage patties, the French toast and the strawberry milk. The bacon looked good too along with the hard boiled eggs, scrambled and sunny side up, the toast and the huge array of jams.

"H-how on earth do you manage to eat all of this?" My fingers twitched as I took in all the food. There were omelets and country styled breakfast chicken with onions and bell peppers set up in such a fashion I felt as though I walked into a gourmet restaurant.

"That," said a voice in the room "would be because I cook for everyone in the house, family, guests and help." I hadn't even allowed myself to recognize the third person standing in the room.

"Oh my!" I gasped. Startled by the man standing in an apron that said "Kiss me, I'm a Gym Leader". "Gran, I'm sorry!" The silver haired man walked over to me with a smile and chuckled.

"No problem, you have been through quite an ordeal." He held out his hand. I took it and took on the fullness of Gran. He was a huge man, from what I knew he was twenty eight and lifted weights s often as a machop. His hand was large and in consumed my small one in the handshake. His skin was tan much unlike his cousin and he looked like a sculpted Greek sculpture under the oddly tight shirt he wore under the apron.

Maybe that was why I didn't recognize him at first, he matched the décor in this kitchen, and the whole place looked like a modern kitchen from old Greece. His eyes were a dim blue and were barely peeking out from under straight, thin bowl cut hair.

"You must be Marie; it is nice to finally meet you in person." He said, letting go of my hand with a surprising gentleness.

"The pleasure is mine! Thank you for opening up your home to me." I smiled. He then gestured to the food on the counter.

"Help yourself, if you don't get picking soon there won't be any left, our staff always has a huge appetite." As if on cue about fifteen people wondered into the kitchen and headed towards the food. I grabbed a plate and helped myself to meat, fruit and French toast.

"Come sit over here," Karen said, there was a table at the far end of the kitchen, big enough for thirty people to sit at. She and I sat near the end of the table. Furthest from the food covered counter. It was a stone table, grey, but I couldn't tell what it was made from. Luckily the chairs were cushioned and comfortable.

After enjoying a meal with a bunch of strangers, talking about Pokémon and leader life, Karen, as promised, and I left towards her special place in the forest.

"That was by far the best breakfast I have ever had," then I whispered to myself, "Sorry mom."

"Glad you thought so, Gran is an amazing cook. He cooks all the meals for everyone every day." She said, as she munched on some bacon she brought along in a plastic baggy.

"So, tell me about this place of yours, how did you find it?" I asked, trying to not get gluttonous and ask for some bacon. I ate more than anyone else did this morning. I was still hungry too and it was only about 9am, and having eaten only fifteen minutes ago.

"Well, when I was little, visiting Gran, he and I had a fight; he's much older so you can imagine how I would react so young to an older figure yelling at me. I ran away from home, sort of." She stopped talking for a moment, as if recalling. "I got scared though when I got lost out in the woods. These woods," She gestured all around us, we had walked towards the east into the wooded mountains that marked the way to Cerulean City. "It started getting dark and I couldn't find my way home. A strange thing happened through."

"What? Did someone find you?"

"Nah, I found it." We had been walking for about ten minutes now, I was beginning to worry about getting lost, but I also trusted Karen. "We are still a while away, but I found the most serene place. I felt drawn towards it, and I fell asleep there. I felt safe and when I woke up I was in bed with Gran sleeping in a chair next to the bed. Turns out he had found me asleep in my special place and took me back home. He apologized when I woke up and we haven't fought since then."

"That seems like a really nice memory," I thought about memories when Flank helped me out of tight situations back home, with bullies in my town from wild Pokémon attacking me in the garden. "So, what kind of place is it then?"

"Just be patient! You will see soon." She smiled. I couldn't stand not knowing, but I would find out sooner or later, what choice did I have?

We walked in silence for the rest of the time before reaching the spot. I enjoyed it though, just the company of another person while enjoying the sunshine and nature all around us. The trees were tall and green, proud looking giants. They protected the grass, dirt and bushes from anything that would harm them. At least, I wanted to think about it that way. Wild Pokémon passed us every so often, flying above or scurrying around us.

"We are close. Are you ready?" Her smile was uncontained and joyous. "Look!" She said, we entered a huge clearing. I hadn't been paying much attention before, but we had been getting closer to the sound of water. I was staring into a small clearing where the grass was tall, thick and green. A bit away from us was a stream that was flowing from a small waterfall that came off a cliff from the mountain. Looking at the field, then straining my neck looking up at the monstrous mountain took my breath away. I was speechless at the beauty of this clearing.

The air was fresh and pure, the sky was clean and the water shimmered. "Oh. Wow." Was all I could manage. Karen spread out her arms and fell backwards, facing me, into the tall grass. It was so thick and there was so much it caught her fall and she landed quietly in the grass.

"So nice here." She whispered.

"This place is incredible! And it seems so untouched!" I said excitedly. I started towards the water when a small creature came dashing out of the tall grass, nearly knocking me down to the ground. "Hey!" I said. At my feet, a small purple-grey nidoran trembled at my feet. "Oh, you poor thing!" I knelt down to it, it huddled closer. "What's wrong?" I patted his head. It cried out when three large nidorino came out from the same clump of grass.

Karen, hearing the commotion, quickly got up and came over to see what was up. "Marie, watch out! This must be their territory, don't move!" She reached behind her and grabbed a pokéball from her ball belt. "I will handle this."

"No! Hold on, he needs to fight his own battles or he'll never survive." I backed away from the cowering nidoran. "You can do it little one, show them you aren't to be messed with!" I felt enough confidence to command the wild Pokémon. "Use your poison sting on them! Scare them off!" It hadn't moved, one of the nidorino charged at it and tackled it hard, it landed near me.

"Marie, it will get killed!" Karen yelled.

"No it won't, I can tell, he is a strong one! Come on, you can do it! I know a strong Pokémon when I see one, now use tackle back!" I pointed towards the attacking nidorino. I did have confidence in him, and I knew he was strong, all he had to do was try and he would see for himself.

It gave in to my command and tackled back at the nidorino and that caught it off guard. "Yeah, that's it!" It kept attacking, a tackle here, and poison sting there and soon the nidorino got so frustrated they just left, unhappy, but they didn't seem to want to stay around.

"Good job! I knew you could do it." The nidoran looked up at me, his eyes wide. It pushed its soft head against me and rubbed on my leg. "Aw, you're a sweetie!" I knelt back down. "When someone bullies you, if you let them get to you they won't stop, but if you show them you won't take it they will get bored and leave you alone." I petted him on his head and scratched behind his big ears.

"Now you know you are strong, you don't need to worry anymore" I stood from kneeling and looked to Karen, who had been watching curiously.

"Wow, he did it." She said simply before plopping back into her grass bed.

"Go one now, with confidence, alright?" I began moving towards the waterfall again, and the little nidoran followed me. "Don't you want to go home and show off your new found courage?"I looked down and asked him, he shook his head and stared intently at me.

"He wants to join you, Marie. Let him." Karen murmured lazily.

"You want to be my Pokémon?" I asked. He nodded and jumped up. I caught him and held him up to look at him. "If you don't mind battling every so often?" He shook his head, seeming intent on joining me. "Alright then." I smiled. "Welcome to my team!" I laughed and set him down. I pulled out an empty pokéball I had in my pocket and set it down on the ground after pressing the button once to make it larger. "Just tap the button and relax, alright?" I scratched behind his ears again. He did as I said and in a flash of red light he was absorbed into the ball. It beeped when the capture was complete and I then released him and Flank.

"Flank, meet Giro, Giro, meet Flank." They stared at each other and then began to talk in their mysterious language. I felt Giro was an appropriate name for the Nidoran, and he didn't seem to mind even a bit.

Who knew I would have added a new addition to my family so quickly. I pondered as I watched them talk; they seemed to get along rather well. I wonder if catching Pokémon will always be this easy. I would soon find out that that certainly was not the case.


	7. Chapter 7: Joining Forces

Chapter 7

I sat at the end of the stream, letting my legs and feet soak in the water. It was about three feet deep, and more rocky than muddy, of which I was happy about. Giro and Flank had followed Karen's idea of laying in the tall grass and soon all three of them had been sleeping. Sometime during their nap, Karen's persian had left her ball and had wandered over to the stream as well. She perched near me, leaning in to take several drinks of water. "Not a fan of your ball I take it?" I stretched out my hand to pet her and she allowed it. She didn't purr, or really look at me, but she didn't lurch away either.

When she was done with me she walked over to her master and laid on top of her. Karen shoved the large cat off and jolted upright. "Darnit, why did you do that?" She groaned, looking over at me with a furrowed eyebrow look. "She does that when she wants food."

"Hahaha, that's amusing. Flank catches his own food, so I don't need to worry about feeding him." Karen glared at me.

"Well, she is spoiled and only eats canned fish." The persian rubbed her large head against Karen and knocked her over. I laughed again, Karen groaned some more.

"You know, the reason I even ended up becoming a trainer was because I wanted to see the world and experience things that no one else did. Just like Red. You know the Legend of Red? The trainer who changed the age law?" I asked her.

Karen looked over at me. "Yeah, why wouldn't I?" She didn't sit up, just laid there and was petting her persian's head.

"I want to find out what he saw in his life, you know? I want to see legendary Pokémon, I want to experience the most isolated places in our world. Then maybe I can understand more about Red and why he became the way he was." Peering down into the water made me want to see the ocean again. I had some good views from certain places in my home town. I missed the smell too.

"Sounds interesting?" She seemed confused. "Why do you want to go through what he did? Wouldn't that change you too?"

"I hadn't thought about it. I don't have any other family besides my mom, no friends back home and I just wanted to experience something. Something greater than myself. If that makes any sense." Small politoad swam around in the stream; they weren't even big enough to catch yet.

"I kind of know what you mean. I get bored pretty easily, that's why I don't want to be a gym leader. I was thinking, would it be okay if I travelled with you for a while?" I looked over at her face now, she had a hopeful look on her face.

"Are you sure? We will be camping a lot." I gestured to around the woods. "And not always in the nicest of places."

"Oh, well, I will bring a tent then and a comfy sleeping bag. I just don't wanna stay stuck in life, I am so bored, and." She paused, sadness crossing over her face, "I don't have many friends either. Just people who like me for my money."

"Oh, wow, that's awful, Karen." After thinking about it for a minute, considering the pros and cons, the pros outweighed the cons. I would have company, be safer, and have someone to finally talk to that can talk back. That and she is smart. "I would be happy if you joined me." I stood up and walked over to her, knelt down and held out my hand.

She grabbed it and we stood up together. "Thank you, Marie. This will be fun!"

"Are you ready boys? We have a journey to get to after all!" Giro and Flank returned to their balls and Karen returned her persian. Our walk back was nice; the air was warm and soft. The closer we got to town the more it smelled like iron and stone.

As the forest thinned out, the buildings thickened. I missed the forest already. We hadn't talked much on our way back; I guessed she was thinking about what to pack and things of that sort.

After a long while more of walking, we finally reached a point where we could see Cerulean City. We had to cross through a huge field of grass and then over a river, I was grateful for the bridge because I was not a fan of water.

"We are finally here; I need a long, long shower. You can shower too, we have four bathrooms." The fact that she said that so nonchalantly really caught me off guard. Back home I had one bathroom and shower, and that was to share for the whole house. We also couldn't shower one after the other. Or else the water would get cold.

"Only four?" I asked jokingly, her reply was another surprise.

"Oh, yeah two of them are being redone though, so we have four total, but only two available." Again, talking about her bathrooms and how many she had didn't faze her. It made me want to take her to my house, to see how she'd fair there, but seeing as we are going to be camping from now on, that will be an experience too.

"Alright, well let's head to your house first then." I picked up the pace, and ended up walking in front of her.

"Whoa, girly, slow it down. My house isn't going anywhere." She said.

I laughed and started running, "Come on high heels! I'm hungry!"

She stumbled after me in her nice shoes yelling at me to wait up, I did but as soon as she got near I began running again. I had a feeling that I would get scolded later about it.

"You brat, you know I can't run in these shoes!" I laughed as she panted. We had arrived to the edge of the city. "Well, here is the city, let's head to the house." She threw one of high heels at me but missed. Then she made me pick it up, and by the time we got to her house at the opposite side of this small town. Her house was all one story, but it was incredible.

"Your home is interesting?" I touched the yellow pillars holding up the roof above the entry way as we passed by. The doors were white with relief sculpture. There were Pokémon and people, landscapes and events carved all over the door.

"Thank you." She brought out a huge ring of keys from her bag and opened the door.


End file.
